Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)

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Microsoft, SK Telecom Forge Alliance to Provide Smartphone


Wednesday, 23 June 2004

SK Telecom, Korea’s top mobile operator, and Microsoft, US software giant, work together to put smartphone on the world as well as the Korean market.



Accordingly all major Korean handset makers such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Pantech&Curitel are going to produce MS smartphones.



SK Telecom will be the first Asian CDMA operator to launch MS smartphones this year, industry sources said Wednesday.



An MS official said, “Unlike smartphone business in other regions where OEM’s control the overall process, SK Telecom is able to run the business according to its needs.”



He also added the smartphone that will be introduced in Korea would adopt SK Telecom’s wireless Internet platform, NATE so that the mobile operator’s know-how and MS smartphone operating system create synergy as an advanced wireless application.



Furthermore, the two companies are discussing cooperation to penetrate the world market including China by taking advantage of this synergy effect.



Although SK Telecom has not yet revealed a detailed schedule, Samsung, LG, Pantech&Curitel are preparing handsets for SK Telecom’s smartphone service.



An official at Samsung Electronics said, “SK Telecom is planning to launch MS smartphone service this year. It is not easy to meet SK Telecom’s complicated demands within the schedule.”



by Seong-ju Lee

http://www.telecomskorea.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=216&Itemid=2